Warren Luff.
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6:00 AM Sun 22 January, 2012
Source: BigPond Sport
RETURNING to a full-time drive in the V8 Supercars Championship is the goal for any driver that has been inside the ‘fishbowl’ and is on the outside looking back in.
For Warren Luff, signing to drive the Gulf Western Oil Commodore for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport proved to be his way back into the series in 2011 (or indeed in late 2010 given he drove in the final three events), though it was a tough and frustrating season spent down the back of the pack.
But things are looking up for Luff, who has big reasons to be happy about what awaits him in 2012.
We downloaded with last year’s ARMOR ALL Bathurst 12 Hour runner-up and talk turkey …
2011 Championship Position: 28th
Best Race Result: 15th (Bathurst and Sydney)
Best Qualifying: 11th (Sandown)
What is your highlight of 2011?
Qualifying at Phillip Island – we were in the top 10 in our Saturday sprint, which was our best run of the year.
What is your funniest moment from 2011?
Helping Randy Corners (Nathan Pretty’s alter-ego) pick his outfit for Sunday night at Bathurst!
What are you getting up to during the off-season break?
My girlfriend Brooke and I headed to Byron Bay to get away and then it was back to work at Movieworld (Luff works there as a stunt driver) over Christmas and New Year’s. Later this month or early in February we will head overseas somewhere for a week to 10 days and get away but I’ll be back in time for the Bathurst 12 Hour with Audi (February 24-26).
What was the race that got away from you in 2011?
Probably Bathurst. Even though we had a reasonably strong result with 15th, our car speed was worthy of a better finish. We had to double stack on numerous occasions behind Tony (D’Alberto, whose team shared a pit boom with LDM).
Every time we’d lose so much time and then catch them again on the road, then it was time to pit and we’d double stack and lose it again. It wasn’t so much a race that got away from us, but we deserved an even stronger result than what we had.
New Year’s Resolution?
World peace perhaps? I don’t really have one otherwise!
2012 Goal?
To be in a more competitive car and team and be in a race-winning position.
2011 Rating out of 10?
About a 6. From a team standpoint, we made too many mistakes, too many bad tactical decisions, and had too many mechanical problems. At the level we are trying to compete at, it’s mistakes you shouldn’t be making.
It was always a case of doing the best job I could with the tools at hand. There were definitely times I know I tried too hard making up for the fact we didn’t have the sharpest tool in the shed.
But overall I’m reasonably happy with my performance. It’s hard to be completely happy when you’re in a car that isn’t as quick as what it needs to be.
